Process for producing pattern effects on fabrics



Patented Aug. 14, 1945 PROCESS FOR PRODUCING PATTERN EFFECTS ON FABRICS Georges Heberleln and Ernst Weiss, Wattwli,

Switzerland, minors to Heberlein Patent Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York No Drawing. Continuation of application Serial No. 187,027, January 26, 1938. This application December 14, 1940, Serial No. 370,158. In Germany January 21, 1987 4 Claims. (Cl. 8-115) plication Serial No. 187,027, filed January 26,

More particularly, the invention relates to improved processes for finishing fabrics containing cellulose fiber, wherein certain areas according to a desired pattern are given a parchmentizing or transparentizing treatment, and also wherein certain areas of such pattern have applied thereto a pigment-containing resist of such character as to permanently remain in the fabric, and subsequently the fabric or portions of such pattern thereof are subjected to a shrinking treatment such as to give a pronounced difference in the appearance of the compactness of the weave, and if desired, also to cause various undulated or cockled effects to appear, in the different areas of the pattern.

It has heretofore been known by the joint action of parchmentizing and subsequent shrinking-finishing treatments, to create various novel effects on the fabric. consecutively subjected to a locally limited parchmentizing treatment and also to a locally limited action of a shrinking agent, in a manner such that the two patterns partially cover each other and such that as a result of such treatments, a fabric may be produced embodying parchmentized or transparentized areas, and non-parchmentlzed areas presenting at least in part a shrunken and compact closely woven appearance. The parchmentized areas may be either substantially uniform as to transparency or may embody regions of greater and lesser transparency, And the non-parchmentlzed areas may be composed of the compact closely woven appearance interrupted with areas of less compact appearance, and various parts of the fabric may embody undulations and cockled eflects resulting from the shrinking treatment.

According to the present invention, it has been found that the elfects of the above described process, may be essentially beautified, enriched and made more intensive by utilizing in connection with or at one stage or another of the process, a resist containing a pigment of a character such that it will withstand washing as well as the other and subsequent finishing treatments of the fabric, and the pigment also being such as to be permanently embodied in the finished fabric to modify the pattern thereof, and if desired acting also to modify the effect of the shrinking treatment in the areas containing the pigment.

That is, a fabric may be According to the present invention, a fabric is printed with two or more types of resists or printing pastes, one of which may embody the pigment above referred to, and another of such resists or printing pastes may serve to either 10- calize or diminish the effects of the parchmentizing or shrinkage treatments, or both. Thus by the use of two resists or printing pastes, for example, a pattern may be produced with three or more effects interrelated and mutually modifying each other. That is, certain of the finished fabric areas may thus permanently embody a pigment, desired portions of these areas and/or other areas may be locally parchmentized or transparentized, and the pigment areas, parchmentized areas and other areas may embody various differential shrinkage eifects, i. e. different degrees of the apparent compactness of the weave and/or undulations. Thus a variety of elaborate effects may be produced, which in various combinations give strikingly novel results.

The invention comprises the novel processes hereinafter described by way of examples and will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

According to one embodiment of the process,

one may print localized areas of the fabric with a cellulose-containing paste or mass, to which acid-proof pigment has been added, for example, in accordance with the process disclosed in the U. 8. Patent to Albert Bodmer, No. 2,075,695, granted March 30, 1937. Also, in the same operation, if desired, for example by the use of a multicolor printing machine, the fabric may be printed with an ordinary gum resist. Subsequently the fabric may be subjected to a parchmentizing or transparentizing treatment with acid. Then the fabric or portions of the pattern thereof may be subjected to a shrinking treatment with lye or caustic soda. This will result in a fabric which has been parchmentized and/or transparentized, except, for the areas of the pattern protected by said gum resist. Portions of the parchmentized areas and/or other areas if desired will permanently embody the acid-resisting pigment. The unparchmentized areas may be uniformly shrunk or may be locally shrunk to give, inthe latter case, alternating shrunk and unshrunk areas imparting crinkled effects. The

, shrinkage efiects imparted to the unparchment- 5 cording to which the above-described embodi- Jr., and E. Weiss.

a paste or mass comprising the following:

Grams .Titanium white 230 Acetylcellulose 45 Ethylene chlor hydrin 370 Water 355 In the same machine, the fabric may then be printed according to a different pattern with an ordinary gum resist comprising for example equal parts by weight of water and gum arabic. After drying, the fabric is passed through transparentizing sulphuric acid of 54 B. for 8 seconds at C., whereupon it is immediately washed and dried. Then the fabric is printed with a gum resist as described above and is given a shrinkage treatment with a caustic soda solution of mercerizing strength, for instance of 38 B. on steeping for instance during 10 seconds without tension. Then the material is pressed out, is left to itself for several minutes and allowed to shrink, and is rinsed hot. After the usual acidifying and rinsing, the fabric is dried under the least possible tension.

Fabrics finished according to this procedure will embody a pattern comprising parchmentized and unparchmentized areas, the latter containing 10- calized shrunk and unshrunk areas, and also the fabric will contain pigment-reserved areas which may appear either in the parchmentized or unparchmentlzed portions.

(21) Another somewhat similar embodiment of the invention may be carried out by locally printing the fabric with a parchmentizing agent instead of printing the fabric with a resist and subjecting to treatment in a parchmentizing bath. For example, the fabric may be printed in one operation with the pigment-cellulose-containing mass, as in example (a) and also with a printing mass comprising a thickened parchmentizing agent, following which the fabric is subjected to a shrinking treatment. Such thickened parchmentizlng agent may for example comprise calcium thiocyanate or zinc chloride solutions as disclosed respectively in U. S. Patents No. 2,099,782, granted November 23, 1937, to E. Weiss, and No. 2,112,895, granted April 5, 1938, to G. Heberlein,

In connection with this embodiment of the process, however, care should be taken by suitable arrangement of the printing machine, that the imprint 'first made with the Pigment-containing cellulose or cellulose derivative solution, will be substantially d y when the calcium thiocyanate or zinc chloride solution is printed on the fabric. Naturally, pigment reserves and parchmentizing agents may also be printed in register side by side.

Fabrics finished in accordance with this Procedure may therefore have areas which are normally transparent, areas which are somewhat stiflened and embody the pigment, and also areas which have been shrunk by the shrinking agent. Moreover. the shrinkage effects produced in the shrunken areas will impart undulation effects to the parchmentized areas to some extent also to the-pigment-prlnted areas.

With the above described processes, it is also of course possible to first imprint with the pigment-cellulose paste all of the areas which are to be afiected by the parchmentizing agent. Therefore, the finished fabric then will contain no transparentized areas, but will contain pigmented undulation effects which are more or less pronounced.

Another embodiment of the invention may be carried out by using a resist against the action of the shrinking agent, in the form of a water-resisting lacquer or varnish, to which a pigment has been added, such as a pigment-containing solution of rubber or a rubber derivative.

(0) A mercerized mousseline fabric is printed according to a desired pattern, with a resist consisting of equal parts by weight of gum arable and water, and thereupon subjected to a transparentizing treatment by applying sulphuric acid of a strength of 54 B. for- 8 seconds at 15 C. Thereupon a pattern is applied to the fabric partially covering th first pattern by printing thereon a resist consisting of:

Grams Chlorinated rubber 50 Toluol 175 American pine oil 25 Titanium white Thereupon the fabric is subjected to a shrinking treatment by applying caustic soda thereon of a strength of 38 B. for 3 minutes, at a temperature of 15 C. Thereafter the usual washing and finishing treatments may be applied, as custom arily following such an'alkali shrinkage treatment. 1

The fabric will contain shrunk areas, pigmentprinted unshrunk areas which are more or less stiflened, and parchmentized areas which latter may be partially over-printed with the pigment resist, and wherein cockled or undulation effects appear in the parchmentized areas and in the unshrunk, pigmented areas.

(d) A pattern is applied to a mercerized mousseline fabric by printing the same at room temperature with the following zinc chloride resist:

Grams Zinc chloride 69.5 Water 30.5 Viscose 1.8

Thereupon the fabric is dried and heated, and preferably washed and again dried. The fabric is then printed in registry with gum and with chlorinated rubber resists, of the types given in example (0), and thereupon subjected to an alkali-shrinking treatment.

According to the above example (0), it will be noted that the transparent effect is localized by resist printing, whereas in example (d) the transparent pattern is roduced by direct imprinting. In both cases the wash-proof resist containing the pigment may be printed on the fabric, previously'provided with the transparent pattern, so that the pigmented areas may normally extend over both the transparentized and nontransparentized areas. Where, however, it is de-,

sired to apply the pigment design in registry with the transparentized pattern, the concentrated zinc chloride solution is printed on the fabric in the same operation with the pigment lacquer, and thereafter the transparent effect may be effectively brought out by drying and heating substantially as disclosed in the above mentioned patent of Heberlein and Weiss, No. 2,112,895, after which the fabric is subjected to the shrinking treatment.

According to another procedure, a gum resist may be printed on top of a water-insoluble pigment resist, and thereafter localized areas may be treated in a transparentizing bath in known manner. after which the fabric may be washed, causing the gum resist to disappear, and then the shrinkage treatment may be applied.

Specific examples of this embodiment of the the same completely. This gum resist may contain a dyestuif if desired. These two resists may be applied in one operation by the use of a suitably equipped printing machine, the insoluble resist being first applied and dried on the way to the next printing roller before the soluble with an alkali shrinking swelling agent, also as in example (0). The washing step following the transparentizing or parchmentizing serves to dissolve and remove the soluble gum resist (which may comprise a vegetable mueilage, gum arable, etc), while the water-insoluble resist below the same remains in the fabric. During the subsequent shrinking treatment, if the fabric is not tensioned, then the areas which have previously been protected by the soluble resist as well as the entire transparentized resist areas, are subjected to the shrinking effect. According to the first procedure above outlined, the fabric shows a uniformly parchmentized background surrounding shrunken areas which enclose pattern areas consisting of water-insoluble pigment reserves. According to the second procedure, the fabric shows a uniformly shrunk pattern which may be colored, in addition to parchmentized areas which enclose pattern areas consisting of water-insoluble pigment-reserves.

(j) A mereerized mousseline fabric is printed with a water-insoluble resist in accordance with example (0) in desired areas alongsideof which areas the fabric is also printed at other areas in proper register for the desired pattern, with a zinc chloride resist as specified in example (d) above. Then after drying at 100 C. and washing out, the fabric is subjected to a shrinking treatment such as above specified. Results similar to those of this example may be obtained by using for the transparentizing step instead of the zinc chloride solution, a concentrated calcium thiocyanate solution as specified in the above mentioned Weiss U. S. Patent No. 2,099,782. The fabric shows uniformly shrunk areas with a pattern thereon consisting of a waterinsoluble pigment reserve and enclosing another pattern consisting of transparent areas.

It is also possible to print in one operation in registry on the same printing machine the concentrated parchmentizing solution and waterinsoluble pigment resist in such manner that upon the subsequent shrinking treatment the entirety of the transparent areas as well as portions of the non-transparent areas are subjected to the action of the shrinking agent. In order to obtain especially attractive effects the pattern printed on by means of the gum solution is advisedly arranged in such a manner that it directly joins the transparent areas.

(a) A mereerized mousseline fabric may be printed witha water-insoluble pigment resist in accordance with example (c) at areas to comprise a suitably registered repeat pattern with other and preferably adjacent areas printed with a zinc chloride resist of the composition in accordance with example ((1). The fabric may then be directly subjected to the shrinking treatment above described.

(h) A mereerized mousseline fabric is printed in register with a pigment-reserve according to example (0) or with a bronze-pigment-reserve containing: s i

Part5 Chlorinated rubber 2'7 Toluol 36 ,Pine oil 70 Gold-bronze 25 and with one or more gum-reserves as described in example (0) and which may contain different dyestuffs. When dried the fabric is subjected to a parchmentizing treatment with sulphuric acid of 54 36. at 15 C. during 8 seconds. After washing and drying the fabric is printed with a stripe pattern of a gum-reserve as described in example (:2), padded with a caustic soda lye of 3836. at 15 C. and left so for 3 minutes, when pressed out.- Thereafter it is rinsed with hot water, soured, washed out and finished as usual.

The fabric so treated shows areas with shrunk and untreated portions forming undulations or cockled efiects and transparent areas with a pattern consisting of pigmented water-insoluble reserves, which pattern may also show cockled effects (depending on the reserves employed), the transparent areas showing slight shadowy portions in accordance with the shrunken stripe pattern. i

(i) A mereerized cotton fabric is printed with one or more resists consisting of Parts Nitrocellulose (including 35% butanol) 180 Amylacetate 450 Ethyiacetate Ethyl alcohol 20 Colored titanium white (TiC2) 200 When dried the fabric is transparentized and further treated as described in example 02.). The fabric shows printed areas containing water-insoluble permanently colored pigment resists and transparent areas. the latter showing shadowy portions in accordance with a slightly shrunken pattern, the printed portions showing more or less cockled effects and undulations (depending on the reserves employed; nitrocellulose will give these effects).

(k) A mereerized mousseline is printed with a gum-reserve as described in (c) (and which may be colored) and at the same time in register with a pigment resist as described in example (a). After drying the fabric is transparentized according to example (It), washed out and uniformly shrunk by a shrinking treatment according to example (h).

The fabric shows uniformly shrunk areas and stiil'ened areas printed with the water-insoluble pigment reserve, surrounded by parchmentized areas.

(I) A mereerized cotton fabric is printed in registerwith a pi ment-resist as described in example (c) and a parchmentizing agent according to example (b). The fabric is then washed, dried and printed with a gum-resist as described in examples (c) and (h). Thereupon it is shrunk according to example (h), washed, dried and finished. The fabric shows a pattern consisting of areas printed with the water-insoluble pigment reserve and transparent areas, the latter preferably surrounding the pigment-printed areas, against a background of alternating shrunk and unshrunk areas.

The term "cellulose-containing fabrics as used in the claims has reference to textiles containing natural cellulose fiber such as cotton, linen, jute and the like, or such fibers as used in mixed fabrlcs including artificial silks. Also in the claims by the term transparentized is meant rendered translucent by parchmentization.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to particular preferred examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention that various changes and further modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

' and with a wash-resistant, water-insolubl reserve which is substantially impermeable to parchmentizing swelling agents, but permeable wash-resistant, water-insoluble reserve which is permeable to shrinkage swelling agents and with a water-soluble reserve which is substantially impermeable to parchmentizing agents, subjecting the fabric to parchmentizing treatment, removing the water-soluble reserve, and subjecting the fabric to shrinking treatment, whereby the fabric is provided with pigmented areas which are at least partially shrunk, also with unpigmented shrunk areas. and also with parchmentlzed areas.

3. A process for producing pattern effects on ceilulostc, fabrics, which comprises: pattern printing the fabric in registered relation with, respectively, a first water-soluble reserve which isv substantially impermeable to parchmentizing agents, and with a wash-resistant, water-insoluble reserve which is permeable to shrinkage agents and which contains an acid-resisting pigment, thereafter subjecting the fabric to a parchmentizing treatment and washing to remove said wateroluble reserve, printing the fabric in another pattern with a second water-soluble merve which is substantially. impermeable to shrinkage agents, and subjecting the fabric to shrinkage treatment, whereby local shrinkage effects are produced in both the pigmented areas and in otherwise untreated areas.

4. A process for producing pattern effects on cellulosic fabrics, which comprises: printing the fabric in diii'erent patterns and in at least partially overlapping registered relation with respecto shrinkage swelling agents. said wash-resistant,

water insoluble reserve containing an acid-resisting pigment, thereafter'subjecting the fabric to a parchmentizing treatment, and washing to remove said first water-soluble reserve, printing the fabric, including at least portions of the pigmented areas, in another pattern with a second water-soluble reserve which is substantially impermeable to shrinkage agents, and subjecting the fabric to shrinkage treatment, whereby local shrinkage effects are produced in both the pigmented areas and in otherwise untreated areas.

2. A process for producing pattern effects in a cellulosic fabric, which comprises: printing the fabric in different patterns and in registere relation with, respectively, a pigment-containing,

tively, a first water-soluble reserve which is substantially impermeable to parchmentizing agents, and with a wash-resistant, water-insoluble reserve which is-permeable to shrinkage agents, said reserve containing anacid-resisting pigment, thereafter subjectingthe fabric to a parchmentizing treatment and washing to remove said first water-soluble reserve, printing the fabric in another pattern with a second water-soluble reserve CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,5e2,L;16. August 1h, 19b5,.

GEORGES HEBERLEIN, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed'specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page'2, secand column, line 8, for "such as" read -or else--; line 9, after "deriva-'- tive" strike out the period and insert instead the following --or solutions of other wash-proof substances which permanently remain in the fabric, such as vegetable or animal albumin hardened by formaldehyde, artificial resins or natural resins for instance, colophonium, copal or precondensates of artificial resins, such as dimethylol urea. Also one may use cellulose esters and ethers, "such as methyl-, ethyl-, glycolcellulose or other cellulose derivatives such as nitrocellulose, acetylcellulose including their dispersions in water obtainable for instance according to B ritish Patent 1 67 or U. s. Patent 2, ou s'zlr The above-mentioned reserves vary in degree among themselves vsithrespect to their resistance to permeability of the shrinking agents. For example, the chlorinated rubber reserves are extremely impermeable to the shrinking. agents, the nitrocellulose reserves are somewhat more permeable, the acetylcellulcae more so, and the albuminous reserves still more so. The following comprise specific examples of ways in which this embodiment of the invention may be carried out.--;

and that-the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 11th day of December, A. D. 1915.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) First Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

